Chelated Minerals International (formerly Key Minerals Corporation) was the original patent holder for nutritional mineral chelates and is currently the leading manufacturer of amino acid chelates/aspartates/ascorbates/citrates, supplying dietary ingredients to the human nutrition market as a bulk raw material supplier.Albert Z. Richards, a multi-faceted inventor, founded the company in 1961. Mr. Richards was recognized as the leading authority on producing solar evaporated salt and developing a patent for a salt harvester.Recognizing the need for chelated mineral supplementation, Mr. Richards was awarded the first patent for the manufacture of chelated minerals. In 1994, Key Minerals Corporation was renamed Chelated Minerals Corporation to more accurately reflect our focus – the production of chelated minerals.In 2005, Chelated Minerals Corporation, an animal/agriculture company was sold to Balchem Mineral Corporation. Bruce (CEO) and Suzanne (CFO) Sherman retained chelated Mineral International, an affiliate of CMC, with sole and exclusive rights to the original technology for the human nutrition market.